Depicting the Characteristics of SEO Links SEO (search engine optimization) is one of the most effective website promotion techniques. Link building has become a serious channel to greater SEO success. However, for link building to work to its potential, it must be "White Hat" (ethical) and focus on relevant, targeted Web traffic. This implies that in SEO, not all links are equal.

Inbound Links

Inbound links, as the term suggests, are links pointing towards your website from another website. These links are advantageous in that they tell website crawlers that your website is an authority in its niche. Search engines use inbound links from authoritative sites to determine ranking in search engine results pages.

You should, however, ensure that the inbound links to your website are do-follow links, since no-follow links do not add value to your link building campaign. Your inbound links should have a keyword-targeted anchor text if it is to add SEO value to your website. In essence, the link should send visitors to an optimized page that you are trying to get ranking in the search engine.

Ideally, you want quality inbound links from trusted websites. Some of the most powerful are .gov and .edu websites, as well as links from other high PR (PageRank) websites. Also important is the contextual relevancy, or the relation the content has to the link.

Outbound Links

The other major category of links is outbound links. As the name suggests, these are links pointing away from your website towards another website. It is believed that Google rewards behaviors that help deliver more targeted and meaningful results and outbound linking therefore leads to search engine optimization. Even if this is not your main motivation, outbound links are still advantageous in that they help Google crawlers know what the website you are linking to is about.

It also helps in the building of goodwill among other websites. This increases your chances of getting a quality inbound link later on. As is the case with inbound links, the value of keyword relevant anchor text in these links cannot be overstated. Such anchor text helps Google crawlers better identify the website you intend to link to. These links are reader-friendly and they open in new browser windows. You should strive for links in high PR websites.

Internal Links

You also need keyword relevant anchor text in your internal links. Internal links are links you use within your website and they are important since they help Web users in navigation. Indicating what each link will lead to will help Web users find their way around your website.

It is important to keep know these types of links, whether your are doing some SEO on your own, or are investing in a SEO link building service.

Do you use any special link building techniques? Let us know in the comments below.

QR codes are modern 2D barcodes that are readable by most smartphones. Their value in modern business applications is high, but their usage is scattered as businesses are yet to understand how well to utilize them. Nevertheless, if you can embrace them effectively, your business would enjoy expandable benefits.

QR codes are essentially links that can take a smartphone user to just about any webpage, coupon or promotion. Below we highlight some of the most effective applications that your business can utilize QR codes.

Curiosity Pull

Since it is a new technology to most people, using them would create curiosity, which might captivate people into scanning them and hence land into your page. You can further spur interest by adding images or using them in multiple applications such as business cards, t-shirts and on other applications. QR code promotions are great way to market that offers endless creativity.

Social Sharing

Since QR codes can be used as links, or URLs, you can utilize them to post special offers to individuals once they scan them on the social networks. This would expand your market, as people would tweet their friends and hence expand your business visibility.

Tracking Print Media Marketing

You can embrace the QR codes to track the effectiveness of your offline marketing. You only need to create a tracking URL and then embed it in the QR code. Although it is not going to be a perfect measurement, it would give you an overview performance of your offline mobile marketing efforts.

You can also utilize the codes to help give your customers get discounts and give away in online store by scanning the code in your offline stores. You can find several tools to create effective codes for your marketing plans. Nevertheless, not all products are effective and worth your efforts.

Email List Segmentation

This is one of the most recent business applications and thus, majority of people who would sign up using this application are highly experimental in email marketing. They are also likely to be highly involved in social media and thus, you can utilize QR codes to drive traffic into your social marketing.

QR Code Software Review: QR Hacker

One of the major QR creator tool is QR Hacker. The tool is available for download from major downloading sites freely. It is compatible with Linux, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 7, and Macintosh OS X. The requirements for this application are internet connection and flash-enabled web browser.

This tool helps you to create Flash based web applications that enables you to encode URL, arbitrary text, VCard, phone number and WiFi access for Android devices. The tool allows you to pick the data that you prefer to use and then fill the data you want the code to contain. Once you input the information, you then click on the large Generate button for your code to pop up on the screen. The tool is designed to ease your creation process and give you flexible options.

The tool further makes it possible to change the background color, foreground color and round off pixels. You can also import logos and place them at the middle of the code. The tool is also designed to ease your code management. This is because you can save the code in PDF or image file. It is however necessary to ensure security of your customers by avoiding risky redirecting websites.

LinkedIn has recently release yet another set attractive updates for Internet marketers. These updates offer insightful tools in making the most out of user information and market data. With these new LinkedIn features, many marketers can better target their followers and improve their overall marketing strategies.

Targeted Updates

One of the recent LinkedIn updates is the Targeted Updates feature. When you set your personal statuses on your company page, anyone that you have been interacting with can automatically view your status. The targeted updates feature can automatically call the attention of those who can relate to a specific update, without having to wait for them to notice it.

So how does this update actually work? Company pages are expected to have at least one post administrator who manages the page. With the targeted updates feature of LinkedIn, the post administrator can automatically share important updates to a specific group of followers or audience at once. The admin simply needs to select a target audience which can be based on their company size, industry, function, seniority and geographic location.

Later after the update is posted, the admin can already have access to a number of data. This data shall include the number of targeted followers, the impressions, the clicks and the shares for that particular update. By being aware of this information, marketers can immediately see how their audience reacted and which ones considered your update to be relevant. This becomes a means to start a conversation wherein anyone can instantly share their impression and thoughts on a specific matter of discussion.

Follower Statistics

Another LinkedIn update is the Follower Statistics. This is an additional tab to your company page statistics, which simply shows your followers' demographics. The data will reflect the number of total followers you have, the number of recent followers for the last 7 days, and the average impressions and engagement levels of you LinkedIn updates.

Both of these LinkedIn features offer relevant information that can be used effectively to make more productive marketing decisions. With the Targeted Updates and Follower Statistics features, every company page can be built in such a way that will guarantee to attract a specific audience or group of followers.

With this information, you will know which updates should be shared to who and when. This will allow you to monitor the progress that you made in your company page. Furthermore, this will let you realize what actions you need to take in order to enhance these developments for the betterment of the company that you are promoting. If these features are used wisely, select content can be targeted to the right set of eyes, and thus your content and Internet marketing efforts may be more impactful.

The direction of internet marketing industry has been changing upon several global factors and trends. It is speculated that web marketers will soon start consolidating their niche specialties into more full-service providers.

Most marketers have been working in specific niche since years, but now clients demand a wide range of services offered under a single hood, this requirement has led to the concept of consolidation. Larger clients don't want their web services (such as website design services, search engine optimization services, content writing services etc.) spread out amongst many providers. Most clients want these services conveniently provided from a single source.

M & A Toward New Web Marketing Models

To meet the increased demands of customers, internet marketing companies have two options.

The very first option is to merge with other small companies offering different services and form a larger more viable company. This option shall be highly useful for companies that work in a specific niche.

The second option is of acquisition of small sized firms by large ones, this shall help large companies to get empowered with the skills and services lacked by them. With large enterprises we don't mean giants like Google or Yahoo. A large firm could be one that offers web design, web development, and software development skills, but lacks associated skills such as copywriting or SEO.

To get the two latter services under its list of expertise, the web design company can acquire one or two companies that offer such services. Simply hiring a SEO and copywriting expert won't be sufficient for the large scale business of the acquiring firm. In one way or the other, internet and search engine marketing companies may have to change the way they work. Different approaches can be used for merging with different small companies; it can even be collaboration between two companies working in different parts of the globe.

A number of European and American firms have collaborated with small companies of good caliber in Asia; this helps them to get expert services at a very small cost.

The release of Google Engage for Agencies offers a wealth of resources for Internet marketers who work with locally-focused small businesses. Spanning from SEOs, webmasters, marketing consultants, and social media marketers, Google Engage is program designed for more than just agencies. Google Engage can up-and-coming entrepreneurs to grow and expand their business.

With Google Engage for Agencies, you can learn to use and take advantage of different marketing tools such as Google AdWords, as well as pre-existing Google advertising programs that generates income on the pay-per-click model. Not only does this offer SEOs and Internet marketers a significant advantage in promoting and executing their services, but in return, local businesses can reap the rewards of cost-efficient, locally targeted advertising opportunities.

Benefits of Google Engage

There is no cost to join the Google Engage program, but there are some qualifications that need to be met. The person must have or be in charge of a website for a business that is already functioning and established on the web. The individual must be ready to commit to learning about the different Google resources, and also to start promoting the resources from Google to existing and potential customers.

Become a Better Internet Marketer

The program will guide the individual through a training program that shows them how Google advertising and AdWords works, as well as how to become more successful at Internet marketing. In essence, the basic training phase will help increase and build marketing and advertising skills.

Get Free AdWords Coupons

One of the greatest benefits of Google Engage for Agencies is that Google will give you free AdWords coupons to use for new clients. This enables marketers to show their clients the potential of local Pay Per Click advertising before having to spend a single dollar. Agencies in the program are granted up to 20 AdWords coupons valued at $100 of free ad spend which they can offer to their clients in any manner they like.

Pursue Advanced AdWords Training

Google Engage members can also learn how to most efficiently target their audience, and how to set a solid AdWords campaign that attracts qualified leads for their clients. The program goes into advanced AdWords training concepts, such as properly setting-up ad groups, writing ad copy, and using other tools like click-to-call and mobile ad targeting. Google Engage for Agencies is a wonderful program that offers many advantages as well as reciprocity between advertisers and Google. Advertisers can take advantage of the offers in which Google Engage provides, while Google can expand its customer base and focus on building a reputation at a more local level.